The main body of the city still slept in darkness, adorned and painted by neon and streetlights.
The urban light mist also spilled into the sky, reflecting a cloud pattern filled with ominous implications.
The earthquake clouds had not yet dissipated, but thankfully, the crows were still sleeping peacefully on the roadside trees, preserving the quietness that should be present in the early morning.
On a large tree near a high-rise apartment, Ink seemed to sense something; he opened his eyes, watched Luo Nan run past below the tree, then closed his eyes again to doze.
In a giant metropolitan area like Xia City, high-rises are interconnected by maglev tracks, sky bridges, green corridors, and self-moving conveyor belts, like a dense forest with intertwined leaves, branches, and vines.
Luo Nan, on the other hand, was like a tiny insect, absorbing the morning dew, trudging forward step by step through the forest.
His lips parted slightly, his throat, mouth, and nasal cavities vibrated fully, producing a sound that at first listen resembled the 'buzz' of an insect's wings.
In fact, Luo Nan was repeatedly chanting the sixteen characters: “My Heart is a Prison, My Heart is a Furnace; My Heart is a Mirror, My Heart is a Country,” but because the syllables were continuously shortened and blended with his breathing rhythm, it formed this strange sound.
Occasionally, people out for a morning run would pass him, and, intrigued by the sound, would turn their heads to look.
He, however, remained focused on moving forward, maintaining a relatively stable speed and rhythm.
After an hour of continuous exercise, Luo Nan turned onto a self-moving conveyor belt to cross the wide space between two high-rise buildings.
This was a pre-scheduled “rest stop”; the exercise paused, but the chanting did not.
His breathing was relatively smooth; prolonged resonant vocalization caused a lack of oxygen, making his cranial cavity feel faintly swollen, but compared to the gradually accumulating and spreading effects of the medication, it was child's play.
The injection administered before leaving home was gradually taking effect.
In fact, any normal person injected with such a dose of high-purity drug components at once would have their nervous System instantly disrupted, leading to their demise in the shortest possible time.
However, after more than five years and nearly two thousand gradual and continuously adjusted tolerance processes, Luo Nan’s appearance was no different from a normal person’s, but the structure of his internal nervous System had undergone subtle and profound changes.
He was still alive, and he was carefully observing the changes in his body.
More than twenty types of psychoactive drug components broke through the barrier of the blood-brain barrier, like more than twenty invisible carving knives, selecting different target neurons for repeated modification and sculpting.
This “sculpting” was destined to be rough and violent.
The brain itself has no pain sensation, but under the influence of the drugs, the dozens or hundreds of neurotransmitters it secretes, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate, and neurotensin, release a flood of information that, through neuronal conduction, acts on every patch of skin, every organ, every corner of the body.
It was an indescribable feeling, and Luo Nan did not want to describe it.
He could only say that it was much better than the initial symptoms of limb spasms, incontinence, or even heart and lung failure.
To change the basic human structure, a Legacy of thousands of generations, in just a few short years, would inevitably come at a cost.
Luo Nan had long since come to terms with it.
He closed his eyes, focusing even more on chanting and breathing.
Luo Nan’s chanting and breathing technique was a Legacy from his grandfather.
Nominally, it was an “aid” to drug sculpting, but how could human will possibly control changes at the cellular and molecular level?
Therefore, Luo Nan believed that its main function was to maintain mental focus, vitalize Qi and blood, and furthermore, it involved the somewhat mystical “visualization.”
Luo Nan closed his eyes, and the regular tetrahedron corresponding to the “Sixteen-Character True Mantra,” along with its inscribed and circumscribed spheres, clearly appeared in his mind, rotating in layers around the center, as if right before his eyes.
About ten seconds later, Luo Nan opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
The visualization pattern was operating smoothly; everything was fine.
At this point, the self-moving conveyor belt had only covered a small portion of its journey.
Luo Nan relaxed and observed the city in the early morning.
Not far away was one of Xia City’s nightclub streets.
Many people said that Xia City's social life truly began at midnight, with the early morning being the afterglow, and daytime merely a mechanical recharging phase.
In this vast and crowded metropolis, beneath every cluster of lights was a playground for people's release of pleasure, especially in the most bustling nightclub districts.
Under the neon lights, a group of men and women, disheveled, were stumbling out of a nightclub.
Just because someone ahead slowed down a bit, a rear collision caused them to tumble into a heap, like wriggling fat worms, unable to get up.
They weren't annoyed; they just pushed each other, pulled each other, giggling, clearly having experienced an all-night rave that had exhausted their energy, with only the excessively secreted dopamine still transmitting between their neurons.
They were so unrestrained and indulgent, as if saying: Look, this is how Young Master should live!
In the chaos, a luxurious flying car, in autonomous driving mode, glided down the street and stopped at the side, its classic butterfly doors opening stylishly.
Among the wriggling bodies, a tall man finally struggled to get up; during this time, he virtually kissed all the women around him, and amidst his companions' laughter and curses, he grabbed a long-legged woman nearby, half-dragging and half-carrying her towards the car.
The light from the neon signs on the nightclub street illuminated the man’s face clearly, and Luo Nan happened to recognize him.
“It’s him… He’s a good specimen, I suppose.”
Luo Nan’s heart stirred, and he observed the men and women more carefully.
Half a minute later, his ever-present loose-leaf notebook came into play.
He used an electronic pen to quickly sketch the approximate outline of that area on the soft screen, which was shaped like a paper page.
The self-moving conveyor belt carried Luo Nan for 75 seconds; subtracting the previous consumption, in the remaining tens of seconds, Luo Nan's pen only produced a rough draft with messy, intersecting lines.
He had no intention of continuing; when the conveyor belt reached its end, he put away his pen, glanced down, and left directly.
As he turned his head, he saw that the man who had inspired his drawing, for some reason, had noticed his presence and was looking up, staring blankly.
Their gazes crossed in the Void Realm, but Luo Nan paid it no mind, continuing to chant the continuous syllables, forming a buzzing vibration like an insect's wings, and resuming his morning run.
As for the faint noises coming from a distance, they were naturally filtered out.
Xie Junping felt like he was going crazy.
His tearing shouts had no effect; the figure on the self-moving conveyor belt left without looking back.
The scoundrels and casual partners at his feet were still giggling under the influence of stimulating compounds, and the “long legs” he had just found so appealing were hugging his waist, giggling foolishly, and fumbling to undo his belt.
Xie Junping was truly going crazy.
“Get lost!”
He forcefully pushed the “long-legged woman” away, diving into the car and locking the doors, ignoring the clamor of the useless people outside. At this moment, the “Light Film” invisible contact lenses produced by Quantum Corporation performed a simple analysis of the newly collected data, projecting it onto his retina.
The “paparazzo” on the overpass appeared in the instantaneous snapshot, revealing a blurry profile. However, the “Plum Blossom Bamboo Pattern” school emblem of Zhixing College on his tracksuit was circled in red.
A little later, the “Phantom”Car Intelligent Brain also analyzed the surrounding environment data automatically recorded by the alert System, and the analysis results were successively transmitted back.
This was much clearer than the emergency snapshot, and there was no room for luck in the results.
When Xie Junping saw the hooded “paparazzo” still writing and drawing in a notebook, he slammed his fist on the steering wheel.
The hovercar honked, and a dork outside, who was knocking on the car window, was startled and fell backward. Before his butt hit the ground, the hovercar had already started instantly, roaring away.
He was seen, he was seen!
Xie Junping furiously hit his head. If it were a different time and place, for a sociable Young Master from a wealthy family, having some issues in his private life wouldn't be a big deal. But the current situation was different.
According to the association's arrangements, he should currently be in Satellite City Mangzhong, in charge of a post-disaster charity donation event. Last night, he was indeed in Mangzhong, but to attend a rave party, he left the team, snuck out, and drove hundreds of kilometers back to Xia City. He had originally intended to return immediately after the party, but who would have thought he'd be caught red-handed by a student from his own college?
He was currently striving for the Elder Medal of the Honor Association and trying to advance further in the student council. This was a critical stage for establishing his “position in the circle,” equivalent to a “major election.”
If judged by the standards of a politician, lying, betraying trust, and being two-faced are certainly essential qualities. But if exposed, it would be fatal… fatally stupid!
What's more, Xia City was experiencing continuous earthquakes, and people were in a state of panic. Everyone’s psychological endurance was declining. What wasn't a big deal normally might become a big deal now; what was a small matter before might become a huge matter now!
Yes, something big has happened!
The car phone rang, and it was from those troublesome friends. Xie Junping had left too hastily and forgotten to arrange many things. He quickly answered, and before he could speak, Lian Yu's slurred curses came through first:
“Xie Junping, you bastard!”
The background sound was the strange laughter of those troublesome friends.
Xie Junping closed his eyes. That’s right, he had actually forgotten… Lian Yu, this slut who was just about to unbuckle his belt, actually had a boyfriend, and her official boyfriend was also a member of the Honor Association!
“Damn it!”
Xie Junping slammed the steering wheel again, with such force that the car’s onboard AI even warned him. But it was after this outburst that he finally recovered some clarity from his hangover and panic.
Calm down, calm down! As long as it's not immediately exposed online, there's always a chance to salvage the situation.
He tried to keep his tone calm and said in a low voice, “Lian Yu, go wash your face now. I have something to tell you…”
Lian Yu was still drunk: “Xie Junping, you scoundrel…”
“Go wash your face, now!” Xie Junping roared, wishing he could shatter the car phone.
The Son of Heaven's wrath brings millions of corpses; if a warrior is truly enraged, blood flows five paces!
However, the other side simply hung up the phone decisively. Xie Junping could only rage like a common man, banging his head on the ground…
With his head on the steering wheel, Xie Junping forced himself to calm down. He was actually quite self-aware, knowing that he was pretty much a “common man,” with average intelligence and ability. He only had his family background and connections to back him up, and at most, a bit of social skill.
But how did he manage to get to this point in Zhixing College, which was full of experts? It was nothing more than being a qualified boss, offering appropriate compensation, and entrusting professional matters to professionals… Damn it, professional!
Xie Junping slammed the steering wheel again. Why bother getting entangled with that woman Lian Yu? What professional qualities did she show besides hooking up with men?
Once his thoughts became clear, he immediately put Lian Yu out of his mind and dialed another number. The waiting ringtone was an extremely gentle female voice:
“Hello, Youlan Firm at your service. Before 9 AM and after 5 PM on weekdays; and all rest days and holidays, all services will incur overtime charges. This is hereby notified. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Xie Junping rolled his eyes.
A moment later, a clear and vibrant voice, completely different from the previous recorded voice, rang out: “Long time no see, hello, little lamb.”
Xie Junping was instantly defeated by this address. He wanted to retort but had no confidence, so he could only grit his teeth and say, “Yingying, right? Good morning. Is Boss Wu not here?”
“Oh, are you sure you want to see the boss?”
“…No, no, no, just you is fine, just you is fine!” Xie Junping slapped his forehead hard. He was really drunk silly today. Why argue with this crazy girl?
“Exactly. It's the same if you tell me. Anyway, no matter who it is, they'll fleece you, haha!”
Xie Junping wanted to eat the car’s computer, but now was not the time to quibble. He could only get straight to the point: “Today I got into a bit of trouble and need your help to deal with it.”
He described what had happened as quickly as possible, and also sent over the captured photos and videos for further analysis.
Soon, Yingying replied: “Paparazzo? Should I admire your imagination?”
“It wasn't a sneak shot?”
“Standing on a self-moving conveyor belt, waiting for you all to come out of the nightclub, and then taking snapshots?”
“Uh…” Xie Junping was momentarily stumped.
Although the retort was sharp, the professionalism of “Youlan” was beyond doubt. About half a minute later, Yingying reported a location coordinate:
“Anyway, let's do a verification first. Without considering complex factors, if that person was just passing by, they should be the type who gets up early for a morning run. Today isn't a holiday, so their destination is likely Zhixing College. You go wait there and see.”
Xie Junping felt this made perfect sense. He immediately turned the hovercar, cut into another magnetic track, and increased his speed. About five minutes later, he drove to the location Yingying specified. This was a pedestrian overpass within the high-tech research and development zone, with a very pleasant environment and it was also one of the main Nodes leading to the college. Morning run enthusiasts would find it hard to resist this route.
The hovercar stopped at the northern end of the overpass, and then it was a waiting game. Xie Junping was inevitably anxious. At this moment, a formatted chart appeared on his retina. It was a personal profile extracted from Zhixing College's database.
The electronic photo showed a seemingly quiet and introverted young man, quite handsome, with no smile on his face.